Test Outs

This morning we had dance team practice at 6:30, and I was really excited for it. It was test out day! Test out means that you perform the dance that will be performed at the next sport event with only two other girls in front of the coaches. The coaches give you scores out of 12, you have to get at least a 6 to pass. If you don't pass you can retest as many times as it takes to be performance ready.

On Friday we will be performing our "Team Dance". This is the dance that my entire team learned at the camp that I could not go to. I had one of the girls teach me the dance, but I found out on Saturday that she had taught almost the entire dance to me incorrectly. I had to relearn almost the entire dance on Sunday night before our marching exhibition. I felt like I had a pretty good grasp on it, so I was confident going into test outs. After practice the coaches handed us our score sheets and my heart sank as I looked at it. I needed a 6 to pass, and I received a 5 and 1/2. I was so upset. Tears were already swelling.

I quickly changed in the locker room and then hustled down to the band room. I put my stuff down, and then walked directly into the Vocal Music Room. By then I was sobbing, and Mrs. Rodgers (she will always and forever be Ms. Poe to me...) stood up instantly, held her arms out to hug me, and said, "Oh sweety, what's wrong?". I sobbed for a while in her embrace before answering. I told her the entire story. She told me that I reminded her of herself. We both take everything we do rather seriously and we give it our all. With this, comes dramatic failures. I do not take well to failure. (Unless it is in sports, then I am totally used to it.) I take pride in everything I do, and I do it to the best of my ability, so failing this test out was not easy for me. I cried for a little while longer before the bell rang and we had to go our separate ways. I had to go to band and she had to go teach a little kid music class.

Ms. Poe understands me very well. She is so good at reading my emotions, even if I'm not displaying them. I swear that woman can read my mind. Her and I have always been close, but I think these past couple of months have made us even closer. She expected more out of me as I moved up the leadership ladder, and I rose to the expectation. I always have at least one teacher (usually female) that I trust completely and that I could tell anything to. In Ogallala it was Mrs. Helzer and in Syracuse it is Ms. Poe (or Mrs. Rodgers or whatever you want to call her...). I don't know what I would do with out these two amazing women. Their influence on me is more than they will ever know.